Posts filed under ‘Writing Challenges’

“In our world of greed, people measure success by accumulation. Christians [should] measure it by appreciations. We’re thankful for what we have, understanding that ‘a merry heart has a continual feast,’ Proverbs 15:15.”

Having a conditional feast sounds like a great way to live; so here are five appreciations from my last week. If you want to join this Friday meme. go to Susanne’s place. There is plenty of room.

ONE. Pizza and Pictionary. Once a year or so, the women at my church gather for a game night. This time we added pizza. YUMMY! I am a terrible drawer, and I do mean terrible. And I am not so hot at guessing, either. So I wasn’t expecting to really enjoy myself that much. BOY, was I WRONG! There were many times of laughter, deep belly laughter. Endorphins flowed all night long.

TWO. Pumpkin Patch. My daughter and I joined my daughter-in-law and her three kiddos at a pumpkin patch in Petaluma (1hr, 45mins away). On the way up I listened to my audio book. My son joined us later in the afternoon. We stayed there 4 hours, playing in a corn kernel pit, running through the hay maze, taking a tractor ride, eating lunch, milking cows and climbing tall stacks of hay bales. Then we went to a local brewery for dinner. Their nachos were so TASTY! There were many photo ops, lots of hugs, and many smiles.

THREE. Reverse Trick-or-Treating. I want to get to know my neighbors, so I spent two evenings going to their doors giving THEM treats. Although I was extremely nervous and my first night didn’t work out so well, I did persevere. Read this post to see what happened.

This is a sample of what I left by the door, when no-one answered.

FOUR. Audio Books. I listen to audio books when I drive a lot or when I get fed up with getting in my daily steps. Last week I was in the “fed up” stage and so listened to Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Talk about plot twists! This is not the normal kind of book I read. It was on Reese Witherspoon’s book club choice for September.

FIVE. #Write31Days. I wrote 6/7 posts for my series on Acts of Kindness. I hope to get caught up this weekend. What I wrote last week . . .

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Food is at the center of American activities. Food is a necessity and a luxury. It is a joy and it bonds people. Denise, a woman who oversaw the kitchen at our church felt that when food was served at an event, people felt welcomed and at ease.

There are many ways we can share food as an act of kindness. Be sure to add your ideas to this list.

Invite someone over for dinner.

Take an extra portion of your sack lunch contents to give to a co-worker.

Make cookies for a neighbor or the school crossing guard.

Make an acceptable goodie for someone who has food allergies. Getting a treat like this is rare and makes the recipient feel noticed.

Take a meal to someone who needs help (a new mom, someone just home from the hospital, someone who is grieving). I think a just-because meal would be gratefully accepted, too.

Buy gift cards to fast food restaurants to give to a teenager or homeless person.

NM is a free community meal served at my church (near Sacramento, CA) the last Friday of every month. If you are hungry, come and eat; if you’re not, come and serve. We have room for people to help in the following positions: set-up, clean-up, serve food, help our guests take food to the table, and visit with the guests while you both eat. We also take food and clothing.

“There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

When someone is hungry and doesn’t have easy access to food because of homelessness, pain, depression, or recuperation, that is a vulnerable state to be in.

Kindness is noticing that food is a necessity and brings comfort and acceptance. Kindness is feeding people.

Your Turn . . . When was the last time you performed this act of kindness? . . . When was the last time someone gave you food? . . . How did either/both situations make you feel.? . . . Who can you gift food to this week?

This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different.

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Road rage is on the rise. People are stressed, tired, and have too much to do to arrive places on time. Or at least that’s what we tell ourselves. As a result we have driving expectations that are often not met.

We want . . . the traffic to be lighter … all the lights to be green . . . and for people to get OUT of our way right NOW.

I want my own personal lane. Or at least for native CA drivers to have a dedicated lane for us. Shouldn’t there be some perk for living in California?

This is selfish thinking. This is entitled thinking. This is dangerous thinking which can lead to us arriving at our destination frustrated at the last and full of road rage at the most.

Calm down. Notice the needs of others. We all have some place to go. Share nicely. These words need to replace our rage-enduing ones.

Let’s change our mindset that WE are the most important drivers on the road. Kindness is being a friendly driver.

Let people merge even when they do so incorrectly.

Leave an appropriate space between you and the car in front.

Don’t speed trying to push the car in front to go faster.

Use your blinkers.

Allow more time to get to your destinations.

Give grace when people drive like an idiot.

Remember that sometimes we are the idiot and want their grace. So be a kind driver.

Your Turn . . . What is one way you can be a kind driver? . . . What do you most appreciate from others when you drive like an (accidental) idiot?

Please leave me an idea or two that I can add to my acts of kindness list. The idea can be intentional or random.

This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different.

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“But I don’t like going to funerals. I feel awkward, don’t know what to say, and I didn’t even know Julie’s dad,” I said to an elderly mentor.

“Is Julie your friend? Is she hurting?”

I answered both questions with a “Yes.”

“Often times,” my mentor said, “we go to a funeral to support our grieving friend. It has nothing to do with us. It makes a difference that we attend.”

I found out at the funerals of my parents, that it did make a difference. Some people who attended didn’t even know my parents. I felt supported, loved, and understood because these friends were with me during a HARD time.

Besides going to the funeral, send a card. And find the most meaningful card you can. My grandpa Carol, a very unsentimental dude, told me about a card he received after his wife, Ruby, died. “It was the prettiest card and the words were so comforting. I put it on the TV for months.” This card was a little gesture, a kind gesture, that meant so much.

Kindness notices the needs of others. It meets those needs. Kindness is going to the funeral. It is sending a card.

Your Turn . . . Do you attend funerals or do you skip them whenever you can? . . . Have you ever thought about how significant a card can be? . . . What is something else we can do to support a grieving friend?

Please leave me an idea or two that I can add to my acts of kindness list. The idea can be intentional or random.

This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different

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This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different.

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I arrived at the store ready to do a BIG shop. With a list in hand and a ticking clock, I went towards the cart coral inside. There wasn’t a single cart. Not one! I’ve never seen it empty before. I fumed a little as I went back out and grabbed one of the many carts that were parked by cars near the entrance.

Shopping done, on my way out of the store, I noticed that the in-store cart corral was still empty. I tucked my groceries into the trunk, and looked at my cell phone clock. I had finished early! 13 minutes early.

I put 13 minutes on my timer. Then I whizzed around gathering carts. I put the gathered carts into the outside cart corrals. Isn’t it funny that I didn’t want to get “caught” by a store employee. A few people thanked me. And one man said, “Why are you doing THEIR job?”

“So you can have a cart now and not have to come back outside,” I replied.

The older gentleman grunted as he took a cart from the cart cage. I whispered, “You’re welcome.”

Just as I was getting into my vehicle to drive away, a store employee was taking carts into the store. I don’t know whether I was spotted or not, but I did a spontaneous,13 minute, kind deed for the day. And it felt good.

Your Turn . . . Have you ever gathered a bunch of carts to return them? Did you feel conspicuous like I did? . . . Did you ever think of returning your shopping cart as an act of kindness? . . . What spontaneous act of kindness can you do today?

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This post is part of #Write31Days where bloggers write every day in October on one topic. I am writing about Acts of Kindness, random and otherwise. It will be interesting to note how I am different and/or how my community is different

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Prayer impacts people and situations.

We can lift them up when they doubt God’s involvement and power.

We can pray that peace will replace worry.

We can ask God to heal physical, emotional and spiritual wounds.

We can ask God to give guidance for a situation. And then to give them the power and tenacity to follow through.

We can pray that people will come to know and accept God’s love (as shown through salvation).

Because our God is unlimited, we can pray for any and every need. Prayer doesn’t work because of what we pray, but because of WHO we pray to: the Creator of heaven and earth, including each person.

Max Lucado says it this way, “Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”

Prayer is the best gift we can offer our family, friends, and even the world. Prayer is the best thing we can offer our enemies. Pray first, act second. Corrie ten Boom asks, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”

ONE. Naps. Last week was particularity busy and energy was lacking. Most days I had a nap after work. Ahhh, those wonderful, restorative naps make such a difference to my mood and productivity.

TWO. New small group leaders. I spoke with a couple (Mike and Lina) from church who will be leading a study on marriage. I am so excited as it has been years since we’ve had such a small group. They will start in January and use a video curriculum. If you have a suggestion, please let me know. I visited their group last Sunday and I was impressed with how they interact as a couple, their familiarity with the material, and how they included the group’s members. They are fun and godly.

THREE. Bucket List achievement. Can you believe I’ve never been to a corn maze? A small group of our seniors from church did just that. All 6 of us were first timers. We tromped through the corn maze (lost for only 30 minutes), went on a hay ride, ate piping hot apple cider donuts, and visited. The warm day was filled with laughter and friendship.

Here is photo proof we made it though the maze. Gail was our photographer.

FOUR. Pot of chili. One morning before work, I put together a pot of chili. We ate it for 2 dinners and one breakfast (with eggs). Yummm. It was NICE to have this easy meal after a busy day. I used to do once-a-month cooking. I REALLY want to get back to that.

FIVE. Celebrated a niece’s birthday. As per our routine, we had waffles and ice cream for breakfast and then a dinner as a family (and time around the fire pit). Besides concentrating on spoiling Emily, we had laughs and conversation was like getting an emotional snuggle.

Happy birthday to a talented (music and athletics), god-loving, funny, enthusiastic woman I am THRILLED to know and even more thrilled to be related to. … Because of the angel, the waffles look bigger than they actually are.